Ask the Pastor
By Pastor Scott Denham of Harvest Fellowship, Shambaugh, IA
Clarinda Herald Journal Publication Date : 06/14/2006Word!
Pastor Scott,
“If you write down a verse of Scripture, can you throw it away when you’re done with it?”
I must confess that I had never thought of this question before. Before you dismiss it too quickly, consider the implications:
If we can’t throw away any Scripture, then, no magazine, gum wrapper, or wall plaque containing holy writ, could ever be discarded. In addition, that Bible program on your computer must never be uninstalled. Furthermore, the harddrive upon which the sacred text resides, must be enshrined and protected forever from accidental deletion. Just one email with verse in it will forever determine the destiny of your PC. Moreover, those ‘Ask The Pastor’ articles in your newspaper will need archiving!
On the other hand, if your regard for Scripture is too low, then you are in an equally difficult position.
While I do not think it wrong to throw away a piece of paper containing a bible verse, or even a dilapidated Bible that has outlived its usefulness, I do want to hold the Scriptures in the highest regard. To treat the Word of God like a discarded wrapper is an act of great irreverence.
I do not believe that God demands such an exacting sense of responsibility, but I do commend you for your high regard of Scripture. Love His Word. Cling to His commands, but remember; His eternal Word, standing firm in the heavens (Psalms 119:89), and written in human hearts (Romans 2:15), transcends the ‘stuff of earth’ we write it on.
As Paul has written: "And we also thank God continually because, when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but as it actually is, the word of God, which is at work in you who believe." (1 Thessalonians 2:13)
--Pastor Scott
To submit your question, write to: Ask The Pastor, PO Box 98, Shambaugh, IA 51651, or harvest@heartland.net, and on the web at www.askpastorscott.com